Confession 155

Origin Story

The Buddha was in Sāvatthī. At that time, Kālī bhikkhunī, who was formerly a non-Buddhist renunciate, liked to quarrel and be angry. When she quarreled with the bhikkhunīs, she frightened them with abusive language, by saying: “King So-and-so is my friend and supporter. The high official, general, or householder So-and-so is my friend and supporter. I’ll punish you under their authority.” The bhikkhunīs were scared.

Among the bhikkhunīs were those of few wishes, who knew moderation and practised the austerities. When they heard of this matter, their minds weren’t pleased, and they criticized her with all kinds of reasons: “How can you be called a bhikkhunī when you, while quarreling with others, frighten them with abusive language, by saying: ‘King So-and-so is my friend and supporter. The high official, general, or householder So-and-so is my friend and supporter. I’ll punish you under their authority,’ and scare the bhikkhunīs?” Having criticized her with all kinds of reasons, they explained it to the Buddha in detail. The Buddha gathered both sanghas because of this matter. He knew, and intentionally asked her: “Did you really do this?” She answered: “I really did this, World-honored One.” The Buddha criticized her with all kinds of reasons: “How can you be called a bhikkhunī when you, while quarreling with others, frighten them with abusive language, by saying: ‘King So-and-so is my friend and supporter. The high official, general, or householder So-and-so is my friend and supporter. I’ll punish you under their authority,’ and scare the bhikkhunīs?” Having criticized her with all kinds of reasons, he said to the bhikkhus: “For 10 benefits, I’ll lay down a precept for the bhikkhunīs. From now on, this precept should be recited thus:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī quarrels with the bhikkhunīs and frightens them with abusive language, it’s a pācittiya.’”

Explanations

“Pācittiya” means burn, cook, cover, obstruct. If she doesn’t confess the offense, it can obstruct the path.

Herein, this is an offense: If a bhikkhunī quarrels with the bhikkhunīs and frightens them with abusive language, by saying: “King So-and-so is my friend. I’ll punish you under the king’s authority,” it’s a pācittiya. “I’ll punish you under the high official’s authority, the general’s authority, or the householder’s authority,” all are pācittiyas. Whenever she says this, she incurs a pācittiya. (End of rule 155.)